Homeschooling could be over 100,000 students strong this fall

DAVENPORT – In the wake of the coronavirus and new state requirements to begin teaching “inclusive” sex ed to students as early as kindergarten, it’s shaping up to be a banner year for homeschooling.

Last week, the Washington Homeschool Organization reported new parental interest in personally managing their children’s education had quadrupled.

The reasons are varied, according to Director Jen Garrison Stuber.

“Traditionally, homeschool families opt out of public education due to religious concerns and a desire to focus on math, reading and science,” she said. “But in recent years, families have been turning to homeschooling because of on-campus bullying.”

And over the last six months, it’s been due to Coronavirus mandates, as well as the requirement to begin teaching what many now call “seXXX ed” to students as young as kindergarten.

“This is changing the face of homeschool,” she said.

Public school this fall is likely to include masks, 6 foot distancing between students and limited social interaction due to corona prevention mandates. The negative consequences of the new rules have parents looking for other options.

“If schools go back on time, which I’m not convinced, a lot of parents are going to decide against it,” Stuber said.

Many parents, including up to 9 percent of parents in the Davenport School District, are vowing not to return their children to a public classroom if they are required to wear a mask.

On the other side, Garrison said, many parents have told her they will refuse to send students to school if they are not required to wear a mask.

Some surveys conducted by other school districts, like Columbia (Burbank), avoided that question all together and instead asked parents to choose what type of mask or shield students should wear.

That’s the type of approach pushing families away from public schools, Garrison said, noting parents are looking for options, not mandates.

According to Garrison, some parents are also turning to homeschooling because they don’t want a repeat of this spring when Gov. Jay Inslee’s decided to shutter schools in March without giving parents viable options.

“They don’t want the rug pulled out from under them, again,” Garrison said.

The number of families that chose a homeschool option in the Davenport School District last year totaled 22 and in Reardan it was 23. The Harrington School District did not respond to a request for a count by press time.

However, the current growth in homeschool interest means the state could see over 100,000 homeschool students in the coming year, Garrison noted.

“It’s certainly possible,” Garrison said.

Union weighs in

Another item creating uncertainty for parents is a stance taken by teachers’ unions last week.

On Thursday, July 23, the Washington Education Association, a statewide teacher union,demanded schools statewide keep campuses shut down this fall.

“We believe the time between now and the beginning of the school year must be spent preparing educators to teach remotely, not on hybrid models or planning for in-person teaching,” a statement released by the union said, citing the possible dangers related to the pandemic. “School districts must invest now in the resources necessary to deliver high quality distance learning.”

Garrison said that requiring parents to keep their kids home and educate them under public school system edicts opens the door for families to move to homeschooling, where there is more flexibility and a stronger focus on the basics of reading, writing and mathematics.

Those families can also escape the “inclusive” sex ed mandated in public schools.

Garrison said most public school parents have the misconception that homeschool students are all alone.

Under state law, homeschoolers can still play sports in their local public school districts. They can also take classes offered in the district. Students also get together for field trips and other educational activities.

According to Garrison, homeschool parents create educational opportunities among themselves, rather than just obey edicts issued in Olympia.

Many rural parents are now seeing homeschool as a viable education option, while also being able to avoid having their student exposed to the mandated new “inclusive” sex-ed curriculum, she said. That curriculum requires public schools to include gay, lesbian and transgender sex in discussions on traditional intimacy.

Homeschool interest is taking off, in part, because parents are tired of the constant back-and-forth between on-campus, home-based and hybrid plans to educate students in the fall.

So is Garrison.

“It’s giving me whiplash,” she said.

In addition to homeschooling, Garrison noted there are parental groups popping up statewide looking at ways to fund private schools, set up charter schools, create mini-schools and generally get their child out of public schools. They are also looking at districts that offer virtual academies.

“Parents are trying to find a different solution,” she said, noting many may also decide not to have students ages 5-7 in class at all.

“Our state’s compulsory attendance is ages 8-18,” she said. “So, there may be an increase of folks just keeping their kids at home, too.”